Tuesday’s election further consolidated what the Oregonian’s Steve Duin has called the Democrats’ “near-monopoly on political power” in Oregon.

Democrats currently control all of Oregon state government except the state house, where there is a 30-30 split. Tuesday’s election eliminated that split, and starting in January, Democrats will control the state house as well.

Commenting on the loss of the 30-30 split in the state house, an AP article in the Corvallis Gazette-Times said “Republicans will lose the power they had to block Democratic legislation and exert their influence over state budget decisions. Unions, environmentalists and abortion supporters picked up powerful allies. Business interests and critics of government spending could face a tougher environment.”

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In addition to controlling the executive and legislative branches of state government, Democrats will also continue to control the judicial branch, as Bruce McCain noted in a January 2011 article.

If you work for the government at any level, or are on the gravy train, good for you, you are a winner!

If you are among those who have to pay for the laggards, the big suck continues.

valley person

And the rest of the country resents paying for your cheap public utility provided, federally built and managed hydro power.

Rupert in Springfield

Hey, you are the guys who demand government monopolies, live with it.

valley person

I’m not the one complaining about government am I? I’m saying Rupert, that you are one of the 49%, yet you bite the hand that feeds you.

ardbeg

So fire all government workers? That will help the economy! I know some teachers, I know one cop and I know a friend of a friend who is a employee for the forestry department. None of them are on your ‘gravy train’ with a 100 mill in the Cayman Islands like your hero Romney. At least Obama pays taxes in the US. My sister is a teacher and makes 60k. Why are you such a hater? Why do you begrudge her and others their success so much? Do you make less? Do you hate on everyone more successful than yourself? I don’t know my cop acquaintances salary but as a fairly new hire I’d assume in the 50-60k range. What? Putting your life on the line daily for 50k is the gravy train? Thank god your opinion and your vote is becoming more and more irrelevant. Your fine with CEO pay at 10 million a year but god forbid a cop or a teacher or a fireman makes a living. That thinking lost your guy the election and will continue to cost the ‘conservatives’ in the future. Note the ‘ ‘ on conservatives as your candidate was no such thing. Romney a conservative…Ha! Good luck with your line of lunacy in the future, let me know how it works out for you

3H

And, to keep things in perspective, all those Guv’mint employees pay taxes as well.

Rupert in Springfield

Unless they are older PERS retirees, then they don’t.

3H

But then.. they’re not employees anymore, they are retirees.

Rupert in Springfield

>My sister is a teacher and makes 60k. Why are you such a hater?

In general I am not a hater, with teachers unions, you bet am. Why? Because for the past two election cycles they have put out some very hateful ads towards people like me.

Only public employee unions or their supporters would have the hubris to take out ad’s that are hateful towards a group, and then get all pissy like you are here when people point it out.

ardbeg

So what’s your reason for hating all the other government employees? And do you hate the unions or the teachers themselves. I’m for getting union AND corporate money out of elections. But until that happens you’ll get negative adds from BOTH sides. I’m fed up with both sides. You, on the other hand seem to rail against one while giving the other a pass. What hatefull ads by the way? sounds like you watch too much tv.

mike

60 K is not even a living wage for anyone with a family.

I make less than 60k

If a family of four can’t live on $60k, they have some pretty big budgeting/spending problems. My family does just fine, and I put aside 15% of each paycheck.

Bob Clark

Yes, discouraging. Same-o-same-o. The public employee unions sweep into a few key races against the GOP candidate, carpet bombing him/her with negative TV and radio ads; and the electorate falls for this same old stick. McIntire was working on an anti-dote petition for the ballot to remove government from collecting union dues for the government unions, but our crusader bless his soul is hopefully in happier hunting grounds.

The only real money in the local GOP like campaigns was measure 79 which passed with the support of Realtor industry, and Clackamas County commission races. But regarding the Clackamas County races, the GOP monies were mainly spent early in the primary; and GOP like candidates had to with stand a late surge of negative campaign ads backed by the government unions.

It’s discouraging to work hard only to have an almost always present 800 pound guerrilla (and getting fatter on others) grab away the hard earned dollars.

Rupert in Springfield

Im not really sure the electorate, at least in OR state measures, is falling for anything. I think we simply have gotten to the point where there are so many people who are public employees, or have a family member who is one, or who are retired public employees or family members that it simply is such a huge voting block it can’t be overcome. They are simply voting in their own self interest,”more money for me to bad for you”. Essentially we have reached the point where the people have found they can vote themselves money.

valley person

We have fewer public employees in Oregon than we had in the last election, so your analysis, as usual, makes no sense.

3H

Or, as an alternative headline, “Republicans still don’t get it”

Mr. X

In 2010 the caucus chose some incredibly weak candidates in swing districts. When those candidates won in the Tea Party landslide, the caucus patted themselves on the back and took credit for victories they had nothing to do with.

The criteria the caucus uses in selecting the candidates they will back are 1. do they have money, and 2. will they shut up and go along with our agenda. The notion of intelligent, independent candidates who will engage the voters never enters into it.

I have received a strange call stating it’s from Oregon state government. I checked that number on http://www.uscallers.com and it says this number is from New York. Is this possible or this must be a scam?